This invention relates to roller/pusher assemblies employed in conveyor systems and more particularly is directed to a conveyor roller assembly typically used in car washes for pushing a vehicle along the car wash track.
Conveyor roller assemblies for pushing vehicles along the track of a car wash have been used for many years. However, difficulties have regularly been encountered because the conveyor roller assemblies frequently become misaligned with the track. Several different factors may be responsible for this action. Links are used to connect conveyor roller assemblies to the chain drive of the car wash, and the links are frequently connected by bolts to the assembly axle that carries the guide rollers that engage the tracks. The bolted connection between the axle and the links frequently become loose because of wear, and the axle therefore, may wobble with respect to the links allowing the assemblies to twist and deflect with respect to the centerline of the track. In other systems of the prior art, the links have holes through which the axles extend, and because the links are of limited thickness, they are not capable of maintaining a precise orientation of the axle axis with respect to the links. This condition becomes more acute as the holes in the links through which the axles extend become enlarged with wear. The resulting slack in the connection allows the guide rollers to deviate from a precise path on the track. Another difficulty encountered with conveyor rollers of the prior art is the need for removing the links from the chain drive in order to replace worn rollers.
In accordance with the present invention, the links that connect the chain drive to the shaft of the conveyor roller assembly carries a sleeve having a diameter that has a close tolerance with respect to the axle of the conveyor roller to which it is connected so that the link has no freedom to wobble with respect to the axle axis. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, two such links are provided, one on each side of a bar that not only carries the axle of the guide rollers, but also of the pusher rollers disposed above the track. The sleeves on the links extend away from the bar and serve as shafts for the guide rollers. The sleeves that carry the rollers prevent any cocking of the bar and rather cause the rollers to track straight, precisely parallel with the tracks of the car wash. The links may take any one of a number of different shapes necessary for their connection to the chain.
The ends of the axles have internally threaded holes, and the rollers have recessed ends that are substantially larger in diameter than the openings in the rollers which receives the sleeve. A bolt and washer are disposed in the recess of each with the bolt threaded into the threaded hole in the axle. A shoulder is provided in each of the rollers adjacent the outer end of each sleeve. This assembly retains the roller in place. The guide rollers are disposed one on each side of the track slot with the guide rollers bearing against the bottom surface of the track. The rollers at the rear end of the bar engage the vehicle wheel and push against it causing the upper surface of the track and the vehicle wheel to roll along the track.